Resa Dolce
by Beileil
Summary: March 06: on hiatus, soon to be MASSIVELY edited. After Treize's death, Zechs thinks he is going crazy. Is there anyone that can help him?
1. Chapter One

Resa Dolce

**Disclaimer:** Me no own, you no sue.

**Warnings:** angst, slash, fluff, optional lemon, über lameness in certain parts

**Other Notes:** This fic was inspired by La Vita Va Su (even the titles are both in Italian!), so if you've read that, you'll notice a few similarities that I really tried not to do... If you haven't read it, you should check it out, especially you citrus freaks. _This_ fic takes place after the series and before Endless Waltz.

There's an alternate lemon ending, so read it, the other one, or both.

Also, I'd like some good reviews. Please don't give me reviews like this:

_omg this sotry liek sOoOoOo totally rox!!!1_

  
nor this:  


_omg u suck i hate ur story an d i hate u!!!1_

If possible, mention one thing you liked and one thing you didn't like. It would be much appreciated!

:: shuts her piehole ::

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter One

_"Wake up, Milliardo."_

Blue eyes flew open as he gasped and bolted upright. Clenching the sheets, the man looked around his room to see for himself that he wasn't hallucenating, then forced himself to blink. He took a few deep breaths and shifted positions on the bed, running a hand through blonde locks. A bead of sweat rolled from his forehead to the tip of his nose and dropped onto his lower lip, causing his tongue to dart out and involuntarily to catch the straying drop.

"Just a dream," Zechs whispered. He shook his head. "Just that same damned dream."

He got up and trudged to his dresser, opening the second drawer and pulling out a neatly folded pair of sweatpants and a button-down shirt.

_It's been almost a week now since I've started having it._

After dressing, he walked to his kitchen. Opening a cabinet, he searched until he found a small package of Café Italiano, and opened it.

"I think I can say for certain that's the only sleep I'm going to get tonight," he mumbled, as if giving himself permission for caffeine consumption.

Grounds in filter, brew started, Zechs pulled out a chair and sat at the table, quickly lost in thought. _Why am I having that dream? I can't even remember what it's about, just that something disturbing happens. Then Treize-_ He flinched at the name. _-tells me to wake up. And each time there's a brief hope that he's really there beside me, telling me to wake up from my nightmare. I wake up and he's gone. Why? Why is this happening? If I could at least remember the dream, I could maybe figure out what it meant._

The coffee maker beeped, breaking Zechs' train of thoughts. He blinked and realized his cheeks were damp with tears.

He stood to retrieve his coffee. "You're so pathetic."

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

_"This is Marcy Newport - " _

" - and Bill Hartman - "

" - with the L1-NN news. Earth nation leaders made official today the creation of the organization ESUN, standing for Earth Sphere United Nations. Leaders of ESUN, including Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Relena Peacecraft, are calling for peace between Earth and the colonies."

Zechs sat down in the armchair. _I wonder how Relena's doing? She probably thinks I'm dead like everyone else does._ He frowned, then stifled a yawn. _I didn't realize how tired I am. I'll finish watching the news and take a nap, I suppose._

_"Nothing has been heard from the military group OZ. The organization was assumed to be eliminated after the death of its leader, Treize Khushrenada. In other news, delegates from L3..."_

The blonde-haired man froze upon hearing Treize's name. "Even the news has to remind me." Tears welled up in his eyes and he slammed down a fist on the coffee table. "No! I can't keep breaking down every time I hear his name. I won't cry. Not this time." But he broke his promise, the tears falling again. He leaned back in the chair, shaking uncontrollably and silently weeping, until he fell into a deep slumber.

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

_He turned as an explosion went off behind him. He recognized one of the mobile suits as the Tallgeese, and his eyes grew wide. He started to cry out, but realized there was some sort of fluid surrounding him. It was now up to his waist, and he cupped a hand and brought the liquid up to his face, noting its thickness. It was blood. He opened his mouth to scream, but the blood was rising rapidly and flowed into his mouth. Disgusted, he swam up and spit it out. Swimming, pushing, forcing his way through blood, trying to get air. His efforts were in vain; there seemed to be a force pushing him down further into the tainted ocean. Finally, he was no longer able to stay up and gave into the force, drowning in human blood. He had abandonned all hope, when Treize's voice called out to him: _

"Wake up, Milliardo."

Zechs did just that, terrified at what he had just seen. He panted heavily, almost to the point of hyperventilation. Eyes straight ahead at the TV that had been left on, he brought his hands up to his face. "I- I- That was- It was...blood!" Getting his breathing and heart rate under control, he brought his hands back to his side. "My God, is that what I've been dreaming about the last few nights?" _I can't fall asleep again. Not if I'm going to have that dream. I have to stay awake._

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

The next three days went by slowly, Zechs spending his nights either reading or watching late-night TV. The second night he almost fell asleep, but caught himself in the first stage of REM. He then had looked at the television screen and realized he had been watching infomercials. That's also when he realized that the sleep deprivation must be starting to affect him.

"This can't be good for my health. It's two in the morning and I'm watching infomerials." _What other choice do I have?_

The following night, he was to the point of being too tired to function normally. He fixed leftover spaghetti for dinner because he simply didn't have the energy to make anything else, and didn't want to clean himself up if someone came to deliver food. In the process of clearing the table, the plate fell, shattering to pieces on the floor.

"Shit!" He winced, the lack of sleep making his hearing sensitive.

He let out a sigh of frustration and decided to leave the mess to clean up the next day. Instead he waved his hand at the shattered glass in dismissal and walked to the bathroom.

_Maybe a shower will wake me up._ Zechs grabbed a towel and removed his clothes. He stepped in the shower and turned the water on to hot, hesitated, and changed it to cool, despite the fact that he hated taking showers that were anything less than steaming. This would wake him up more.

After less than ten minutes, much shorter than he usually spent in the shower, he had had enough and decided to get out. He shivered. Quickly drying off and wrapping the towel around his waist, he leaned on the sink counter and looked into the mirror.

_Treize, I really hope you can't see me right now._

There were dark purple circles under his eyes. He had also lost a lot of weight. The muscles in his arms and chest were less defined and his face was less full.

_I know if you were here you'd yell at me to take better care of myself._

After dressing, he ventured into the basement and retrieved a bottle of AC 173 Cabernet Sauvignon. He had been living off coffee and water, and was sick of it. He poured himself a glass while in the kitchen and took it to his room. Grabbing a book he had recently bought, he laid on his bed, took a sip of wine, and opened the book, skipping the Acknowledgments.

_'FACT: The Priory of Sion-- a European secret society founded in 1099--is a real organization. In 1975'..._

He read for close to two hours before he realized he had reread the same paragraph several times. His eyelids were getting heavy and he could barely keep them open. The book slipped out of his hand, but he couldn't manage the strength to pick it up. His eyes shut. _Goddamnit. I shouldn't have drank that wine._ He tried to force himself to open his eyes and sit up, but he was paralyzed. _No, I can't..._

His mind was going numb, and he could no longer do so much as think straight. Unwillingly, he fell asleep.

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

_The dream began as it always did. Treize and Zechs stood amongst a sea of stars, in the middle of space, with nothing but darkness and white dots of light surrounding them. Treize brought his lover's hand to his lips and brushed them lightly. _

"I'm sorry Milliardo, but I must leave."

The younger man frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Take care of yourself." He brought a hand to Zechs' cheek and smiled. "I love you."

In the blink of an eye he was gone. Zechs touched his cheek where Treize's hand had been. "Treize..."

He turned as an explosion went off behind him. He recognized one of the mobile suits as the Tallgeese, and his eyes grew wide. He started to cry out, but realized there was some sort of fluid surrounding him. It was now up to his waist, and he cupped a hand and brought the liquid up to his face, noting its thickness. It was blood. He opened his mouth to scream, but the blood was rising rapidly and flowed into his mouth. Disgusted, he swam up and spit it out. Swimming, pushing, forcing his way through blood, trying to get air. His efforts were in vain; there seemed to be a force pushing him down further into the tainted ocean. Finally, he was no longer able to stay up and gave into the force, drowning in human blood. He had abandonned all hope, when Treize's voice called out to him:

"Wake up, Milliardo."

There was no scream, no heavy breathing, no abrupt movement. He was too much in a state of shock. Zechs managed to open his eyes, but was completely paralyzed otherwise.

_I have to go to his grave._

The next thing he was aware of was being in his car, behind the steering wheel, engine started, and completely dressed. He had no memory of changing clothes, of putting on a jacket, of grabbing his keys, of getting in his car and starting it. Everything that had happened since he woke up had been erased from his mind. The only thing he had on his mind was going to Treize's grave.

_I have to go._

It was almost one in the afternoon. The cemetery was an hour's drive away. With as much common sense as he could muster, Zechs took as many backroads and deserted highways as he could for fear of killing someone in his frantic race. His hands were shaking on the steering wheel. Not once did he blink. The reading of 145 kilometers per hour (A/N: about 90 mph) on the speedometer went unnoticed. He came upon a car ahead and passed it up without signalling or checking oncoming traffic. Fortunately there was none.

_I have to go NOW._

After ten minutes, he slowed his speed and turned into the cemetery. Driving up the one-lane road, his eyes scanned until he was in the area he had been only once before. He slammed the door and started running. He stopped in front of Treize's and his own adjacent gravestones.

_Milliardo Peacecraft  
AC 176 - 195 _

Treize Khushrenada  
AC 171 - 195

"Why?" He sank to his knees. "Why are you doing this to me? I love you, Treize!" Tears streamed down his face. "And you're gone now! Haven't I suffered enough?!" he screamed. His fist hit the ground. "Why did you leave?! Was it my fault? Because we couldn't settle our differences about the war?" His voice became softer. "If I would have known it would end like this..."

Hands traced the name etched on the stone. "No one should ever die that young. Especially not you." He stood. "No, no. It should have been me instead. I'm the one who put millions, _billions_ of people's lives in danger to satisfy my own selfish ideals. I can't say I agreed with you, but at least you're not as pitiful as I was. As I am right now."

Zechs sat down, suddenly feeling extremely lightheaded. His entire body became numb, and he felt someone's eyes watching him. He didn't care. Through vision blurred by tears, he read Treize's name on the headstone once more, then lost consciousness.

A gasp came from a few yards back. Ebony eyes stared at the limp body of Zechs Marquise, and from behind a tree appeared the dark figure of WuFei Chang.

* * *

**  
End Notes/Lecture Time!:** So what did you think? Really? Well, don't tell that to your monitor; pull up that menu at the bottom of the page and select 'Submit Review', then click that button next to it that says 'Go'. 

Kids, Mr. Peacecraft/Marquise did a very bad thing in this fic. He tried to get rid of the dreams by not sleeping. While this is effective, it also screws you up in other ways. I stayed up for three days in a row one time because I was trying to avoid a recurring nightmare. SLEEP DEPRIVATION SUCKS! If you're having this problem, try looking at dream interpretation books and figuring out what your dream symbols could represent in your waking life. (FYI - you can interpret Zechs' dream any way you like.)

See you next chapter,  
Kari


	2. Chapter Two

If I have any readers left...

* * *

Chapter Two

The sound of cars passing by. Rough pills on the bed sheet. Sweat covering his entire body. These were the first things he noticed when he awoke.

His eyes fluttered open and surveyed the room. With the exception of light passing through a broken spot in the blinds, the room was fairly dark. The only furniture was the bed, a dresser, and a small desk. The desk's chair was pulled out, and on it sat his shirt, jacket, and shoes.

_Where the hell am I?_ Zechs thought. Sitting upright, he tried to recall what had happened, but his memory failed him. _Maybe I'm dead. No, there's no way this could be Heaven or Hell, or even Limbo for that matter._

Zechs stood up and put on his shirt and shoes. He then looked down at the items on the desk. A hairbrush and two hair ties. A pair of glasses. A book sat next to the glasses. A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. _Well, whoever brought me here must have a taste for classic literature._

He sighed and walked to the door. _Time to meet my captor._

When he opened the door, he almost ran into Wufei Chang, nearly giving both of them heart attacks.

Startled, WuFei stuttered, trying to spit out a sentence. "Marquise. Y-You're awake."

Zechs' expression was identical to the Chinese youth's. "Wufei?"

"I- I was just coming to check on you. You've been out cold for over a day."

"A day?! What am I doing here?"

"You passed out." WuFei looked down. "At Treize's grave. I couldn't just leave you there, so I brought you to my apartment."

His eyes widened. _Treize's grave? I...I can't remember_ anything _from yesterday, let alone visiting Treize's grave._ He closed his eyes, trying to regain his senses. "I see."

"You had a fever of 38.9°." (A/N: about 102° Fahrenheit)

_Well, that would explain why my shirt was off._

"I trust you're feeling better?"

"Yes," he responded quickly, barely giving him time to finish his sentence. "Much better."

There was a long silence between the two. Finally, the silence was broken by a loud groan from Zechs' stomach. He looked down uncomfortably.

Wufei spoke his next words slowly. "Perhaps you're hungry?" He proceeded cautiously with his words. "I can make you something if you want. I don't have a lot, but I can take you to the kitchen."

The older man winced at the thought of anyone, let alone a boy who was formerly an enemy, being charitable toward him. His stomach, however, begged to differ. He decided to take the boy up on his offer when it let out another low growl.

"Yes, that's fine, thanks."

He followed Wufei through a living room that looked as if it had been hastily organized. Ten or eleven books were stacked atop a coffee table that hadn't been dusted in God-knows-how-long. There were cracks covering the discolored walls, which were probably white at one time. The kitchen was not much better. Dirty dishes were stacked high in the sink.

_Funny,_ Zechs thought, _but I never thought Wufei's house would be so badly kept. I don't know him very well, but he just- I don't know -struck me as more of a perfectionist._

Wufei seemed to read his mind. "I'm sorry it's so messy. I've been meaning to clean, but I just don't have the time."

Zechs sat down at the table. "No need to apologize. My house gets like this sometimes," he lied. _My house has_ never _been this bad._

Without so much as a smile or even a grunt of acknowledgement at the comment, Wufei opened a cupboard. "Like I said, I don't have much. There's ramen, macaroni and cheese, soup..."

Although he knew it was rude, Zechs spaced off, beginning to question the boy's motives. _Why is he doing this? What possible reason could he have to help me? I was sure he thought of me as nothing more than an enemy. After all, that is how I used to think of the Gundam pilots, except maybe Heero Yuy. Why would Wufei possibly help someone like me?_ Then another question appeared in his mind. _Just what was I doing at Treize's grave? I'd only been there once before._

Then a realization. _The dream! I remember having that godawful dream._ It began to replay through his head.

"Marquise?"

He jumped slightly and inhaled, realizing he hadn't been breathing for about fifteen seconds. Then he looked up at Wufei's confused expression.

"You look pale. Are you not feeling well again?"

"Wufei?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

He paused. "Because you were passed out and running a fever."

"I know, but why did you help me when you could have just as well left me there?"

Wufei couldn't tell if he was being rude or just curious. His mind fumbled for an answer. "I was simply basing my actions on human instinct." He pulled out a can from the cupboard. "I'm making minestrone, is that okay?"

Zechs folded his hands and rested his elbows on the table. "Is that the only reason?"

Wufei was losing his patience. "I was just being a good samaritan, okay?"

"But I'm an enemy. Why would you bother helping an enemy?"

Losing it...

"The war is over, Marquise. You're not an enemy, just another man."

Zechs' voice became quieter. "Why offer me this hospitality?"

Losing it...

"I told you, human instinct." His eyes narrowed as he stirred the soup.

The blonde chose his next words carefully. "There must be more to it than that."

Lost.

"Look, if you want to play Twenty Questions with me, you can leave right now. I found you there, you were less than conscious, I brought you here. There's nothing more," he snapped.

Zechs didn't say anything. He definitely didn't appreciate being snapped at, but he was still too confused to be in any position to talk. _I've obviously pissed him off. There's something he's not telling me, and there's no way I'll get it out of him now._

A spoon and bowl of minestrone were set in front of him. "What do you want to drink?"

"Water is fine."

In a matter of thirty seconds, a glass of ice water was also on the table.

The Chinese teenager's expression had faded from anger to something Zechs couldn't quite read. "It's just..." he started, barely above a whisper.

Curiosity filled Zechs. "Just what?"

"It's just...that when I saw you at Treize's grave..."

The blonde looked up.

"...you seemed to be...talking to him or something. I- I don't know, you just seemed really upset."

_Talking to him? Why would I...? It must have been about the dream._ He stared at his hands and talked quietly. "I really can't remember anything from yesterday."

"Your car is still at the cemetary. I can take you there whenever you'd like, just tell me when you're ready."

Zechs picked up the spoon and smirked. "That eager to get rid of me, are you?"

Wufei's expression was blank. "No, I just figured you wouldn't want to stay in a dump like this any longer." He left the kitchen.

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

_I wonder how he managed to keep my unconscious body from falling off this motorcycle before._ Zechs pondered this for a while. _Wait, I don't think I want to know what kind of position we were in._

He sighed and continued to maintain a safe distance away from the boy in front of him.

It had been a half hour drive from Wufei's house to the cemetary. As they approached Treize's gravesite, Zechs got an unsettling feeling of déjà vu. _I just barely remember driving down here yesterday. I was in a hurry. But why?_

He realized they had stopped and Wufei had gotten off. Seeing that they were at their destination, he swung his right leg around to the other side and stepped off without a word. Brushing himself off, he walked down further and looked over to where Wufei was staring.

Wufei caught his glance. "I suppose I'm the only one who knows you're alive."

Zechs figured that Wufei was referring to his own headstone. "I suppose so."

"I can keep our meeting a secret if you wish."

"Yeah." A gust of wind blew by. "I should really thank you, Wufei. I'm lucky you came along."

_Wait. Why was_ he _here?_

Wufei looked down. "I know this is really none of my business," he looked sideways at the man standing next to him, "but try to get some sleep. You look like hell."

_He's actually concerned?_ "I haven't been able to really. I've been having these awful dreams." _Why am I telling him this?_

"About him?" the younger boy whispered after a long pause.

The question took him by surprise. Zechs cast a sidewards glance at him. _Is he trying to hold back from crying? He must have some sort of connection to Treize._ "Yes. About him."

Wufei turned around so the other man couldn't see the tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business and I shouldn't have asked. I'll leave now." He began walking back to his motorcycle.

Something about the tone in his voice concerned Zechs. _He looks miserable. Perhaps he loved him as well. I need to talk with him more. There's something intriguing about this boy, and something tells me I can't let him leave. Maybe he's somehow tied into the dream._

"Wufei!" he called after him. "You don't have to leave. You didn't offend me."

He stopped walking but said nothing.

Zechs checked his watch. "Look, it's 6:00. I'd like to buy you dinner to thank you for your hospitality, if you'll accept my offer."

Wufei turned around, not bothering to wipe his tears, and looked directly into his sky blue eyes. "Zechs, I know you don't want to thank the one who killed your lover."

* * *

**  
End Notes/Apology Time:** Ooh, don't you just love a cliffhanger? 

And now, for a formal apology for not posting Chapter Two for a whole week. I'm truly sorry, but you'll have to take that up with one, my teachers (who decided to pile on the homework before winter break) and two, my muse (who apparently took an _early_ winter break, leaving me with a severe case of writers' block). Ah, who am I kidding. There's no one to blame but me. I majorly blow at beginning stories, but I got so eager to post Chapter One that I didn't think about the consequences of only having four paragraphs of Chapter Two done. I humbly ask thy forgiveness.

Anyway, next chapter, expect:  
1. it posted sooner. ::sweatdrop::  
2. more entertaining stuff in general.  
3. a smiling Wufei! (yay!)  
4. better and more interesting dialogue.

Lots of love,  
Kari


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Zechs' eyes grew wide. Shock overcame him. "What?"

Wufei turned around, clenching his fists. "I killed Treize. When you and Heero were fighting, me and him were also in a duel."

"You - _you_ killed him?"

His voice became quiet. "I never expected to win." He closed his eyes. "Hell, I didn't _want_ to win."

Zechs remained silent, eyes like saucers. _It was this boy..._

"I'm such a fool. It was only dumb luck I wasn't killed." He paused. "I- I shouldn't be here. _He_ should be here. He deserves to live more than I do."

_He killed Treize. I can't understand why I don't hate him. I more so...pity him._ "Wufei..."

"I'm so sorry. I should have just given up the fight. Then we both wouldn't be standing here like this. I took him away from you. It was senseless, and- and stupid, and..." He searched for more apologic words, but they didn't come. "If you wish to kill me, I'd understand."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. A wave of anger suddenly came over him, not at what Wufei had done, but at the way he was demeaning himself. His eyes narrowed.

"Goddamnit, do you really think that would solve anything?! You're not going to bring him back by grovelling. You're not going to bring him back by telling me to kill you. You standing here on a soapbox and preaching about how you should be dead instead of him isn't going to do a damned thing, Wufei!"

Wufei turned around abruptly. "Well, from what I can remember, your speech yesterday wasn't a whole lot different from mine!"

_What?_ Then he gasped.

_"Why? Why are you doing this to me? I love you, Treize! And you're gone now! Haven't I suffered enough?!... Why did you leave?! Was it my fault? Because we couldn't settle our differences about the war?... If I would have known it would end like this... No one should ever die that young. Especially not you... No, no. It should have been me instead. I'm the one who put millions, billions of people's lives in danger to satisfy my own selfish ideals. I can't say I agreed with you, but at least you're not as pitiful as I was. As I am right now."_

Zechs mouth hung slightly agape at the memory, then he closed it, and his eyes returned to their normal state. "You're right," he said calmly. _Then it must be true._

Wufei had come to terms with what he had just shouted out and covered his mouth. "Shit, I- I didn't mean-"

The older man interupted him, not faltering in his calm tone. "Wufei, you loved Treize as well, didn't you?"

Wufei didn't know how to answer that question. In truth, he wasn't expecting it. What he _was_ expecting was for Zechs to tell him to get the hell out and never speak to him again.

Or take him up on his offer.

He sat down on the grass in front of the headstone, knees to his chest and arms wrapped around his legs. Finally, he opened his mouth to speak. "How did you know?"

Zechs sat down Indian-style next to him. "Apparently you and I have more in common than I initially thought."

"It wasn't so much love as it was fascination," he continued. "After our first duel, I had this strong admiration for him. He was so strong, so amazing. It was more of an obsession, really."

_Yes, Treize does that to people._

"But I'm sure you truly loved him, and he reciprocated that love. That's why you have every right to be here, and I don't."

Ignoring his last comment, Zechs said, "Then you're the boy he was talking about."

"What?"

"Treize spoke of you. He said he had dueled with a Gundam pilot and defeated him."

"He talked about me?" The curious tone in his voice couldn't be denied.

Zechs closed his eyes. _Yes. He was quite taken with you. I don't think he had any strong feelings for you, but it was enough to make me jealous._ "Yes. And he also said you were a worthy opponent, and that he'd like to fight you again someday."

Wufei said nothing, trying to process this information.

_Kid, I'm not lying. And if I can't make myself feel less guilty, I can at least help you to not be as miserable as I am._ "Well, he got his wish. He died fighting you. I'm sure there was no other way he would have rather gone."

Another long silence. _He's fighting tears again._

"I miss him, Zechs."

Something about the tone in his voice, the way it cracked when he said his name, made Zechs want to take the boy up in his arms and tell him it would be okay. _He'd kill me if I tried something like that,_ he thought. Instead, he narrowed the gap between himself and Wufei and put an arm around the teenager's shoulders.

"I miss him too."

Wufei tensed, then slowly eased into the physical contact. Zechs ran fingers lightly up and down the boy's arm. And the two of them sat there completely silent, save Wufei's sniffles, for five minutes.

Zechs broke the silence. "You feel up to going out to dinner yet? I know a great seafood place in town, unless you'd rather go somewhere else."

Wufei's sniffles had stopped, and he looked at him with a faint look of amazement. "You really aren't obligated to take me out to dinner, you know."

Zechs smiled. "Yes I am."

: : : : : : : :

  
_Fruits de la Mer_ was casual by appearance. Children ran amok, mothers scooped them up and scolded them. People everywhere were dressed in jeans, talking on their cell phones. Couples dined in the more private section of the restaurant, chatting and holding hands by the faint glow of a candles in holders attached to the wall. 

However, one look at the prices and one was sure waiters were going to come out in bow ties and do a song-and-dance number, then ask you if you'd like to pay $400 for a single bottle of wine.

At least that's what Wufei thought after being seated in the dimly-lit area and opening his menu. "Marquise, I _really_ can't make you pay for any of this."

Zechs frowned upon hearing the boy call him by his last name once more, but he didn't know why it bothered him. "Call me Zechs, Wufei. I believe we're on a first-name basis with each other. And it's my treat. If I didn't want to buy you dinner, I wouldn't have asked you." He glanced at Wufei's skeptical expression. "Order anything you'd like."

A waitress approached their table minutes later, dressed in black slacks and a long-sleeved white shirt. "What would you gentlemen like?"

Both ordered, Wufei ruling out his first two choices because of the prices, despite what Zechs had said.

"And to drink?"

The wine list had been the first thing Zechs looked at when he sat down. "I'd like a bottle of Pinot Grigio brought out, please. With two glasses. And I'll also have a glass of water."

"And you, sir?"

Wufei was already feeling uncomfortable; being called "sir" made him want to sink down further in his chair. _If she starts singing, I'm walking out right now._ "Just water."

The waitress noted this and walked off.

The blonde had been eyeing him while he was ordering. "You seem uncomfortable."

"I'm just not used to eating at nice restaurants. I mean, I grew up fairly wealthy, but there weren't nice restaurants to go to."

Zechs laughed. "This place is far from a five-star restaurant. The prices may be a bit high, but I told you not to worry about that."

"Why did you ask for two wine glasses?"

"I didn't know if you drank or not."

"I'm sixteen, of course I don't drink."

"Well, if you want some, I won't tell."

Wufei silently debated this. The last time he drank was at his wedding. "Maybe a little."

"Good. If I drank an entire bottle of Pinot Grigio by myself, we would have a problem, wouldn't we?" He crossed his legs under the table, causing a brief contact with Wufei.

Wufei blushed at the slight contact.

_He _is_ cute when he blushes, isn't he?_ Coming to terms with what had just gone through his head, he mentally scolded himself. _Forget it, Zechs. He may be easy on the eyes, but that gives you no right to ogle him. Especially when we're both so vulnerable. My god, have you no shame?_

Dinner was eaten silently, neither of them daring to speak. Bother finished at almost the same time. However, Zechs was pouring himself a second glass of Pinot Grigio, and Wufei was just then picking his untouched glass up. Swirling the wine a bit, he took a sip.

_I can't stand this silence anymore,_ Zechs thought. _Time to make small talk._

"Do you like it?"

"Hm?"

"The wine. Do you like it?"

"It's not bad."

"Yes, I've had better, I'd say, but it's still to my liking."

Wufei gave nothing more than a grunt of agreement.

_Well,_ that _was a great conversation starter. We must have _something_ in common that won't trigger an emotional breakdown._ Then he remembered something and cleared his throat. "I noticed you had _A Journey to the Center of the Earth_ on your desk. I take it you like classic literature?"

Wufei looked up, strangely pleased that the older man was showing an interest in his life. "Yes, I do. I read some modern literature as well, but I love classic novels."

"_A Tale of Two Cities_ was always a favorite of mine. A rather bittersweet ending, however."

"Sydney was a noble man." Wufei said, referring to the man who had been executed on the guillotine so that the main character would live. "Any others you like?"

_I think I've finally hit the right note._ "Let's see..._The Red Badge of Courage_, _Don Quixote_, _Man in the Iron Mask_..."

"It doesn't surprise me that you'd like that one."

Zechs looked up from his glass, an expression of curiousity gracing his features. "And why is that?"

"A man is forced to wear a mask because he bears resemblance to the king."

He wasn't sure how to respond to that. If he didn't have excellent self control, he probably would have gasped at the accuracy of what the boy was proposing.

Wufei continued. "I mean, your stories are different, but the concept is the same, correct?"

"Yes, I suppose so. I'd...never looked at it like that before." _He's better at reading me than I am. Still, I'd rather not talk about my past._ "You obviously read quite a bit, Wufei."

"Ever since I learned how to read I've been infatuated with books. Even when I was home on break from boarding school, I'd read all the time."

The conversation continued, gradually being carried off into different directions. Eventually the conversation had gotten off on the tangent of the other Gundam pilots. Wufei had just finished explaining why Quatre wasn't allowed in the kitchen anymore when he noticed they were the only two in the restaurant.

"I don't mean to be rude, but what time is it?"

Zechs checked his watch. "9:45. The bill's already paid, would you like to head out?"

_Not really._ "Sure."

They put on their jackets and headed outside. Just as the door to the restaurant closed, a sudden downpour of rain started.

"Well, that's unusual. Think it's an omen?"

Wufei gave him a genuine smile for the first time. "Maybe."

Zechs looked over at him. "You should smile more often, Wufei. It looks nice on you."

He looked down to hide his blush. "Thanks," he managed to spit out.

"And as for our current situation, it's a quarter to 10, the cemetary is a half hour away, it's another half hour to your house, and I refuse to let you ride a motorcycle in the rain. You're staying at my house tonight, like it or not."

"I- I'm really fine. I've ridden in the rain before."

"At night? For thirty minutes? Forget it. At risk of sounding like a nagging mother, you'll catch a cold. Now, I have a guest room I'll be glad to let you stay in until tomorrow."

"You've already put up with me long enough, Zechs."

_I imagine dirt has higher self-esteem than he does._ "I have not been 'putting up with you', as you put it. Believe it or not, I enjoyed talking with you tonight, and I care about your well-being. Now let's head home, shall we?"

Wufei paused, then sighed. "Alright."

* * *

**  
End Notes:** I'm doing a horrible job on my promises, aren't I? To make up for it, I'm posting two chapters. I know that's not a great resolution, but it's the best I can offer. 

And yes, _Fruits de la Mer_ does mean 'seafood' in French. I couldn't think of anything better. It was either that or _Intergalactic House of Seafood_. I'd like to say thanks to my friend Bret, who convinced me that the name of the restaurant wasn't _too_ lame.

Yours truly,  
Kari


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Zechs turned on a light in the entrance hall. He removed his jacket, hanging it on a cherry-wood coat hanger. He then shucked his shoes and left them on the marble floor next to the coat rack. Wufei copied his actions.

The taller man cleared his throat. "The living room is to your right. If you want to watch TV or something, go ahead. The kitchen is through the door next to the television. If you want something to eat or drink, help yourself. There are two bathrooms down here and one upstairs. Make yourself at home. I'll get the guest room ready."

"If you don't mind," Wufei began, "could I maybe take a quick shower?" He was reluctant to ask, but he hadn't bathed in two days and felt filthy. Though his house was a mess, Wufei was actually quite obsessive when it came to his own body being clean.

"Of course," he replied, truly surprised that Wufei was comfortable enough to ask. "The shower's upstairs. Towels are on the shelf in there, and go ahead and use any of my things if you need to. I don't mind."

"Okay," he replied shyly.

: : : : : : : :

  
A heavier blanket was thrown over the bed sheet. Zechs made sure the amount hanging off was even on both sides, then smoothed it out. 

"Really, I don't get why you're so concerned about him, Zechs." He mumbled to himself while snatching the striped comforter off a chair. "If anything, you should hate him, not feel sorry for him."

_Maybe it's not pity. Maybe it has nothing to do with Treize at all. After all, you _did_ enjoy his company tonight, didn't you? You want to get to know him better._

He repeated the even-and-smooth process with the comforter and sighed. "I can't believe only a few hours ago we knew nothing about each other."

_And now you find him fascinating._

Pillows were stuffed into cases. "We've been over this, Zechs. He may be intelligent, and good-looking, and exotic..." He shook his head. "Goddamnit, you will _not_ get attached to him. He's going back tomorrow, and that will be that." He placed the two pillows at the head of the bed. "And stop talking to yourself. He's only two rooms down, for crying out loud!"

Leaving the light on and the door open, he walked downstairs to watch the news.

Warm water ran over caramel-colored skin as Wufei gently scrubbed at his hair.

Looking in the three built-in shelves, he searched for the shampoo. Conditioner, body wash, exfoliating gel, two kinds of face wash, a regular bar of soap, and two types of shampoo: both the same brand, but one was for normal hair and one was for dry hair.

Wufei rolled his eyes. _I imagine he has more beauty products than a woman does._ He grabbed the shampoo on the left and squeezed a small amount onto his hand.

_They're obviously working. He _is_ beautiful._

He banished the thought from his head. "Damnit, he doesn't care about you. He's just being nice." _Just like what Treize did when he didn't kill me when I was at the tip of his sword._

A wave of emotions crashed into him, and water from the shower disguised tears.

The news wasn't helping any in clearing Zechs' head. Thoughts of both Treize and Wufei swarmed through his mind as the news anchor droned on with local stories.

Minutes later, he heard Wufei coming down the stairs. He turned his head to look at him. The Chinese youth had put the black pants he was wearing earlier back on. A green towel was around his neck; one hand was holding it and the other was using it to pat loose hair dry.

_You just _had_ to come down with no shirt on and your hair down, didn't you?_

"Um, where should I put the towel?"

"The hamper in my room. It's the one directly across from the bathroom."

"Okay."

_He looks a little troubled. Maybe I should say something._

"I'm turning in for the night then. The room with the light on is mine, right?"

_I don't think he's really tired. His eyes are red, like he's been crying._ "Wufei, come here for a minute," he said softly but firmly.

The teen walked slowly to the couch. Zechs made room for him. "Sit."

Wufei obeyed, a trifle confused.

Zechs rested his right arm on the back of the couch and turned to face the teenager. "Are you okay, Wufei?"

"I'm fine," he replied, looking down at his folded hands.

With his left hand, Zechs cupped Wufei's cheek, beckoning him to look him in the eyes. "You don't look fine."

Wufei's eyes broke contact once more. "It's been a long day, that's all."

"It's been a long couple of months, hasn't it?"

He didn't respond, just forced himself to hold back tears.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

All he could manage to do at the moment was shrug.

The hand was dropped from his cheek and two arms had been wrapped around him, pulling him into a loose embrace. "I'm sorry if I'm making you feel uncomfortable right now, but I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything." He added in a whisper, "Even Treize."

"I'd like to believe that," he whispered back. "But-" He stopped himself.

Zechs pulled away, keeping one hand on the boy's shoulder and one under his chin. "But what?"

"Nevermind."

"Wufei-"

"I'll tell you tomorrow." He stood and walked past the couch, facing away from Zechs. He was already shaking, and he didn't want the other man to see his tears. "Good night, Zechs."

"Good night, Wufei. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

He watched him go up the stairs, then turned around. _I wonder what that was about._ Something pained him. _Maybe he just doesn't trust me. Doesn't need me at all._

He turned in a while later, a little before midnight. Eventually he fell asleep, and had, for the second night in a row, a dreamless night.

:: : : : : : :

  
The two were once again at the cemetary. Wufei walked straight to his motorcycle, not even glancing at Treize's grave. 

"Thank you, Zechs," he said eventually. "Even though I know I didn't deserve all that."

"Nonsense. I simply bought you dinner and spared you a cold. You, however, could have possibly saved my life."

"I should get going."

"Before you go, wasn't there something you were going to tell me?"

"There was?" He was hoping he might have forgotten about it.

"I told you yesterday you could talk to me about Treize. Then you started to say something, but stopped."

A lump formed in his throat and he closed his eyes. _You're going to hate me for this, Zechs._

"I was going to say," he began slowly, "that I'd like to believe you, but I know that part of you won't forgive me for killing him. You have your own issues to deal with, Zechs. I can tell from the way you've been acting so cool, compared to the way you acted the other day. I've simply been a distraction from your own grieving. So thank you for helping me, but I think you're far from being better."

Zechs couldn't speak.

"I hope I haven't offended you too much. I'll leave now," he whispered.

Hopping on his motorcycle, he looked at Zechs' stunned face. "Take care," he wished before driving off.

* * *

**  
End Notes:** Thank you SO much to everyone who reviewed! It's the best present I could get. ....Except for maybe that DDR pad for my PS2 I asked for. 

To answer your question, fiery-icicles, I guess Wufei just kind of assumed Treize and Zechs were lovers after the whole "I love you Treize!" line Zechs says in Chapter One. That's not the best answer I know, but it's all I have :/

Happy Christmahannukwanzaakah to you,  
Kari


End file.
